Sylvia Bal Somerville was born in Amsterdam and grew up in the picturesque North Holland village of Bergen. She first learned to use a camera from her father, a professional photographer. She was educated at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands and at the Art Students League in New York. She now divides her time between southern California and southern France.
"Nature photography is my passion. I am trying to record San Diego's natural landscape before it disappears. I have granted the right to use my photos as an educational tool to help the preservation and conservation work of organizations like Canyons Network, the Sierra Club, and the San Dieguito River Valley Land Conservancy."
"On the other hand, urban architecture, reflections in glass skyscrapers, abstract patterns in nature, the interplay of light and shadow, and the hidden stories I see, all inspire me too. I don't stage or manipulate my photos. Depending on the subject, I can be either wildly excited or a patient observer."
One of Sylvia Bal Somerville's "Urban Reflection" photos won second place in the Ansel Adams & California Photo Contest, organized by the California Center for the Arts. Her work has appeared in Photographer's Forum "Best of Photography Annual" in 1997, 1998 and 2001. She has exhibited in California and on the East coast and has taught at the summer courses in Italy organized by the International Center of Photography in New York.
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